Necktie measuring device

ABSTRACT

A device for measuring a man&#39;&#39;s necktie before it is put on to insure that the ends of the necktie will be in the desired alignment once the wearer has put on and tied the tie. The measuring device includes a base having a plurality of posts including a neck-size post, a knot post, and a plurality of guideposts, the posts being positioned on the base in predetermined spaced relationship whereby the necktie may be trained thereabout and appropriately adjusted to indicate the position the ends of the necktie will assume after it has been placed about the neck of the wearer and tied.

United States Patent (B), (G), 190, 180 (A) Primary Examiner-WiIliam D. Martin, Jr Att0meySchmidt, Johnson, Hovey, &Williams ABSTRACT: A device for measuring a man's necktie before it is put on to insure that the ends of the necktie will be in the desired alignment once the wearer has put on and tied the tie. The measuring device includes a base having a plurality of posts including a neck-size post, a knot post, and a plurality of guideposts, the posts being positioned on the base in predetermined spaced relationship whereby the necktie may be trained thereabout and appropriately adjusted to indicate the position the ends of the necktie will assume after it has been placed about the neck of the wearer and tied.

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Louis W. Van Wye v INQIIEQJIOR I NECKTIE MEASURING DEVICE It is the most important object of this invention to provide a necktie measuring device having a plurality of posts extending from the upper surface of a base, the posts being spaced apart in predetermined locations whereby a necktie may be trained about certain selected posts to thereby indicate the position the ends of the tie will assume when it has been placed about the neck of the wearer and tied, and to thus insure that the ends will be in the desired alignment when' the tie is in place upon the wearer.

It is well known that a common problem to men in tying the conventional four-in-hand type of necktie is that once the desired type of knot has been utilized to tie the tie about the neck of the wearer, the depending ends of the tie, there normally being an end of greater width and an end of lesser width, are not in the desired alignment and particularly the ends of lesser width often extends below the end of greater width which is undesirable from an aesthetic appearance standpoint.

Accordingly, the instant device provides means whereby the user of a necktie may accurately measure the same whereby to insure that the respective ends of 'the necktie will be in the desired alignment prior to placing the tie about his neck and regardless of the type of knot which is utilized to tie the tie, the device having means compensating for the various types of knots which are used by men in knotting ties.

The device is intended to be placed in either a vertical or a horizontal position and includes a series of guideposts and a neck-size post spaced from the 'gu'ide'posts, there being a knot post corresponding to three different types of knots which may be used, the tie being trained about a pair of the guideposts, over the neck-size post, and thence about the desired knot post, then having its ends aligned and being removed from the device and placed about the wearers neck whereby, upon the previously indicated type of knot being tied therein, the respective ends of the tie will assume an aligned relationship.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing,

wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view of one device;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing'a modified form of the necktie measuring device.

FIG. 6 is a front, diagrammatic view showing a necktie in one position upon the one form of measuring device.

The necktie measuring device 10 as shown in FIG. I includes a base 12, shown in rectangular configuration, although any desired configuration may be utilized, the base 12 having a front face surface 14, a rear surface 16, a pair of opposed side edges 18, a top edge 20, and a bottom edge 22. The base member 12 may be fabricated from any suitable material such as plastic, wood or the like, and is intended to be utilized in a horizontal position or, in the alternative, to be suspended by suitable hanging means provided on rear face I6 thereof whereby the same is disposed in a vertical position for use.

It will also be appreciated that a suitable tie rack may be incorporated as a part of the measuring device 10 as by placing the same along the bottom edge 22 thereof when the device 10 is in a vertical position. If a tie rack were to be incorporated, then it will be appreciated that the posts hereinafter described might well be positioned in spacer blocks to provide access thereto notwithstanding the presence of the tie rack. However, in the following description, reference will be made to the device 10 as illustrated in FIGS. l-4 of the drawing.

The base 12 carries a plurality of guideposts 24, 26, 28 and form of necktie measuring 30 which are disposed in outwardly extending relationship along the bottom marginal edge of the front surface 14 of the base 12. Certain of the guideposts 2430 are of the form shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, while others are of the nature illustrated in FIG. 4.

Those posts such as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing are provided with a central stem 32 which is received within a socket 34 formed in base 12, there being a sleeve 36 in surrounding relationship to stem 32 and between the front surface I4 of the base I2 and a lead 38 which'is carried at the outermost end of the stem 32. With this construction, a length of tie may be trained about a post such as shown in FIG. 3 and, when the tie is shifted relative to the post, the sleeve 36 will freely rotate, thereby reducing the friction between the tie and the post and permitting easier relative shifting movement of the tie with respect to the post.

The post illustrated in FIG. 4 is in the nature of an outwardly extending, cylindrical portion 40 having a reduced portion 42 which is received within a socket 44 formed in the base 12. The form of post illustrated in FIG. 4 is nonrevolving, although the outer surface of the portion 40 would be of such a nature as to permiteasy relative movement of the tie thereover.

Device 10 also includes a neck-size post 46, this being of the type illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing, there being a plurality of holes 48 disposed adjacent the top marginal edge of front face 14 for selectively receiving the neck-size post 46, these holes 48 being calibrated to various neck sizes whereby the post 46 may be shifted into the hole 48 corresponding to the neck size of the user of the device I0.

Also carried by-device 10 are a plurality of knot posts 50, 52 and 54, there being a knot post corresponding to each of the most commonly used types of tie knots for instance, post 50 which corresponds to a four-in-hand knot; post 52 which corresponds to a half Windsor knot; and post 54 which corresponds to a full Windsor knot.

Suitable indicia, as illustrated, is provided on the surface I4 of the device 10 to indicate the particular type of knot to which the posts 50-54 correspond. Adjacent each indicia is a series of openings 56, three being shown for each type of indicated knot, the openings selectively receiving a corresponding post 50, 52 or 54, depending upon the width of the tie being measured as will be hereinafter fully explained. As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the knot size posts S0-54 are of the same general nature as those shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. 4

The front surface 14 of device It) is also provided with certain measuring lines 58 which extend generally from guidepost 26 along the surface I4 toward knot size post 50, these lines being utilized to measure the width of the tie whereby the knot post being utilized may be shifted to a suitable opening 56 to compensate, in the tying of the knot, for the width of the tie.

The general operation of the necktie measuring device is a as follows. The user thereof initially determines his neck size and then shifts neck-size post 56 into corresponding hole 48, the drawing, for instance, showing the post 46 in a hole 48 corresponding to size 16%.

Once post 46 has been appropriately positioned, a necktie is looped over the post 46 and positioned between guideposts 24 and26, it being assumed for purposes of this description, that a four-in-hand knot is to be used when the tie is tied. With this assumption, the tie is then trained about the knot post 50 which corresponds to a four-in-hand knot,- and the end of greater width of the tie permitted to be suspended from post 50, the end of smaller width being suspended by post 46 and extending downwardly along the inside of guidepost 24.

The stretch of tie adjacent guidepost 24 is then rolled over to flatten the same against the surface I4 of device 10 directly to the right of guidepost 24, viewingFlG. I, and when this is done the right-hand edge of this stretch of the tie will align itself with one of the three indicia lines 58, depending upon the width of the tie at this poirit. Depending upon the line 58 which is indicated by the width of the tie, the knot post 50 is moved to an opening 56 corresponding thereto. Thus, for instance, if the edge of the stretch of tie aligns itself with the middle line 60 when it is flattened against the surface I4, the post 50 would be retained in the central opening 56 inasmuch as line 60 indicates that this is the correct opening. However,

if the tie was of such a width as to align itself with the righthand indicia line 62, then the post 50 would be shifted to the uppermost opening 56 inasmuch as this opening is indicated to be the appropriate one by line 62.

Once knot post 50 has been properly shifted to compensate for the width of the tie, the ends of the ties are aligned as by grasping said ends as they extend from the device and shifting the same about the posts over which they are trained, it being understood that such shifting movement of the tie with respect to the various posts over which it is trained, is greatly facilitated by the presence of rotatable sleeves 36 upon the posts such as 26, 50 and 46 over which the tie is trained as the ends are aligned. Thus, as the ends of the tie are being aligned, the end of smaller width is at the left-hand side of the device, viewing FIG. 1, and a stretch of the untied necktie extends from guidepost 24, about neck-size post 46, about guidepost 26, and thence about knot post 50, the end of the tie of greater width then extending from the device 10 in such a manner that it and the end of smaller width may be grasped by the user as, for instance, when the device 10 is in a vertical position and through the exertion of pressure thereupon and relative shifting movement the respective ends of the tie easily and quickly align.

Once the ends of the tie have been aligned, the tie is removed from the device 10 by grasping the same with the left hand of the user adjacent post 24 and with the right hand of the user adjacent post 26. The stretch of tie extending between said posts and over neck-size post 46 is then looped about the neck of the user, placed under his shirt collar, and the points on the tie which have been grasped brought together at the front of the neck and collar of the user, whereupon the type of knot which has been previously selected and for which a sufficient length of tie has been premeasured is tied. Once this has been done and inasmuch as the ends of the tie have been previously brought into alignment through utilization of the device 10 in the manner hereinabove described, the large end of the tie and the small end of the tie will assume an aligned position as the same depend from the neck of the wearer.

An alternate form of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing, this form also including a base 110 having the same general size and configuration as previously described base 10, and presenting a front surface 114 having a plurality of guidepost 124 thereon, of the same general nature as the posts hereinabove described, there being a neck-size post 146 carried by the device 110 at a position spaced from the guidepost 124, the neck-size post being received by a slot 148 formed in surface 114, whereby the neck-size post 146 may be readily and easily shifted longitudinally of the slot 148 to the indicated neck size of the user of the device, there being suitable latch or detent mechanism whereby to retain post 146 in its desired position once it has been shifted thereto.

The device 110 also includes a knot post 152, said knot post being carried by a member 154, which member has a centrally disposed slot 156 which receives post 152 in such a manner that the post 152 may be shifted longitudinally along member 154 in slot 156 to thereby align post 152 with the indicated type of knot to be used, such indication being effected by indicia such as 158 which is normally disposed on surface 114.

The member 154 is suitably coupled as by linkage 160 with a shiftable indicator 162, said indicator being disposed generally between the left post 124 and the right post 124 viewing FIG. 5, whereby the tie to be measured is trained over neck-size post 146 and the ends thereof brought between left and right posts 124, the length of tie of lesser width may be flattened against surface 114 and shiftable indicator 162 moved to align itself with the right-hand edge of said flattened length viewing FIG. 5.

When indicator 162 is so aligned, the linkage will cause knot post 152 to be shifted in a vertical direction inasmuch as the ends of member 154 are each received in a track 164, whereby to permit such vertical shifting movement of the post upon actuation of the linka e 160. It will be appreciatedthat through such actuation the not post is broug to a posmon to compensate for the width of the tie being measured, in an automatic fashion.

Thus, the in invention herein disclosed gives the user thereof the benefit of being able to prealign the ends of a necktie and to insure that such alignment is retained once the tie has been tied, notwithstanding the nature of material from which the tie is made, the width thereof, or the type of knot to be tied therein, all of these factors being evaluated and compensated for in the device described whereby the desired aesthetic alignment may be achieved.

I claim:

1. A necktie measuring device comprising a base; and a plurality of posts carried by said base in predetermined locations, there being a first set of posts locatable to define a path having a length essentially equal to the circumference of the neck ol the user of the device and a second set of posts locatable to define a path having a length essentially equal to that of a stretch of the necktie required to form the desired knot therein, the sets of posts being in such relationship that an untied necktie may be trained about said posts along said paths to thereby indicate the position the ends of the necktie will assume after it has been tied.

2. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 1. said first set of posts including a series of guideposts and a necksize post.

3. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 2, said guideposts being fixed to said base, said neck-size post being shiftably carried by said base at a location thereon spaced from said guideposts.

4. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 3, said neck-size post being positionable at locations spaced from said guideposts a distance essentially equal to one-half the circumference of the neck of the user of the device whereby a stretch of the untied necktie extending along the path from one of said guideposts, about said neck-size post and then about another of said guideposts will be essentially equal to the circumference of the neck of the user of the device.

5. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 4. said second set of posts including at least said other guidepost and a knot post shiftably carried by said base.

6. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 5, said knot post being positionable at locations spaced from said guideposts a sufficient distance to define therewith said path having a length essentially equal to that of a stretch of the necktie required to form the desired knot therein whereby a stretch of the untied necktie extending along the path will be that which is utilized by the knot when the necktie is tied.

7. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 6, there being means on said base for measuring the width of the necktie at a given point when it is trained along said paths.

8. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 7, said measuring means being in the form of a shiftable indicator.

9. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 8, there being linkage coupling said indicator with said knot post whereby when said indicator is shifted the location of the knot post is correspondingly shifted in a vertical direction.

10. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 9, said linkage being carried by said base, said knot post being shiftably carried by said linkage for movement in said linkage in a horizontal direction. 

1. A necktie measuring device comprising a base; and a plurality of posts carried by said base in predetermined locations, there being a first set of posts locatable to define a path having a length essentially equal to the circumference of the neck of the user of the device and a second set of posts locatable to define a path having a length essentially equal to that of a stretch of the necktie required to form the desired knot therein, the sets of posts being in such relationship that an untied necktie may be trained about said posts along said paths to thereby indicate the position the ends of the necktie will assume after it has been tied.
 2. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 1, said first set of posts including a series of guideposts and a neck-size post.
 3. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 2, said guideposts being fixed to said base, said neck-size post being shiftably carried by said base at a location thereon spaced from said guideposts.
 4. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 3, said neck-size post being positionable at locations spaced from said guideposts a distance essentially equal to one-half the circumference of the neck of the user of the device whereby a stretch of the untied necktie extending along the path from one of said guideposts, about said neck-size post and then about another of said guideposts will be essentially equal to the circumference of the neck of the user of the device.
 5. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 4, said second set of posts including at least said other guidepost and a knot poSt shiftably carried by said base.
 6. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 5, said knot post being positionable at locations spaced from said guideposts a sufficient distance to define therewith said path having a length essentially equal to that of a stretch of the necktie required to form the desired knot therein whereby a stretch of the untied necktie extending along the path will be that which is utilized by the knot when the necktie is tied.
 7. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 6, there being means on said base for measuring the width of the necktie at a given point when it is trained along said paths.
 8. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 7, said measuring means being in the form of a shiftable indicator.
 9. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 8, there being linkage coupling said indicator with said knot post whereby when said indicator is shifted the location of the knot post is correspondingly shifted in a vertical direction.
 10. A necktie measuring device as set forth in claim 9, said linkage being carried by said base, said knot post being shiftably carried by said linkage for movement in said linkage in a horizontal direction. 